Director Heo Jin-ho of "The Assassins" breaks his silence to address the controversy: "Are we not even allowed to ask questions?" – Interview on "PD Notebook"

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Heo Jin-ho, the director of the controversial film "The Assassins," breaks his silence to share his stance on the controversy surrounding the work in an interview with "PD Notebook."

The controversy over "The Assassins" has spread beyond the film industry into the political sphere. Protests have erupted in front of the home of lead actor Yoo Hae-jin, and continued protests have been directed at companies that hired cast members as advertising models. During the National Assembly's audit, even the necessity of a search warrant was mentioned, and 109 members of the People Power Party sent a letter demanding the withdrawal of "The Assassins" from its selection as the opening film at the 37th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF). This has escalated beyond criticism of the film's historical interpretation to pressure on the creators and actors, as well as political intervention.

How far can criticism and debate about a film go? Is questioning a work's historical interpretation the same issue as holding the creator accountable and pressuring them to cease activities? MBC's current affairs program "PD Notebook" directly met with Director Heo Jin-ho, who had remained silent for nearly a month since the release of "The Assassins" on the 23rd of last month. The production team stated that they heard from Director Heo his stance on the criticism and controversy pouring in. Director Heo expressed his feelings with the remark, "Are we not even allowed to ask questions?" "PD Notebook" examines the precarious boundary where freedom of creation and freedom of criticism collide.

# "The Assassins," which deals with suspicions surrounding the assassination of Yook Young-soo... A comparison with past investigative records

On August 15, 1974, gunshots rang out at the National Theater in Jangchung-dong, Seoul, aimed at Park Jeong-hui (President). At the time, the government announced that Mun Se-gwang, a pro-Chinese Korean resident in Japan affiliated with the Chongryon, was the assassin, claiming he had been instigated by North Korea. Mun was executed in December of that year. However, following democratization, new testimonies and documents were released, reigniting suspicions surrounding the incident. Around 2005, major media outlets focused extensively on the case, and investigative reporting programs such as MBC's "Now We Can Speak" and SBS's "It's Dangerous, The Truth" also revisited the incident.

"The Assassins," which uses these suspicions as its subject matter, was released on September 23 and has surpassed a cumulative audience of 3.37 million viewers as of October 26. However, controversy over distortion has arisen regarding the historical interpretation presented in the film. What materials and concerns did the film actually start from?

"PD Notebook" meticulously compares and contrasts the extensive investigative records from past media reports and investigative programs with the depictions in the film. Through this, it objectively verifies the basis for the suspicions raised by the film and examines the issues at the intersection of creative territory and historical interpretation.

# 109 opposition party members demand withdrawal of screening... Where is the boundary between freedom of creation and freedom of criticism?

The controversy surrounding the film led to external pressure from political circles. The People Power Party, in the name of all So Sok (Rep.) 109 members, demanded that the Singapore International Film Festival cancel its selection of "The Assassins" as the opening film. The Singapore film festival side did not accept this demand. "PD Notebook" directly reported on the atmosphere at the "The Assassins" opening ceremony in Singapore.

Criticism of a film and verification of historical facts fall within the realm of legitimate criticism. However, Director Lee Myung-se expressed concern that freedom of creation could be stifled in situations where criticism escalates into external pressure. Critic Baek Jae-wook pointed out the contradiction of claiming freedom of expression while suppressing others' freedoms and spreading unverified claims. Both the right to criticize a work and the right to create must be guaranteed. So, where is the boundary between legitimate criticism and pressure that infringes on freedom of creation?

The episode "The Assassins: Who Crossed the Line?" from "PD Notebook" examines the historical suspicions raised by the film and the surrounding controversy, and looks at the points where freedom of creation and freedom of criticism collide. It will air at 10:20 p.m. on the 27th.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original